To Rise with a Star
by Secretly a Duck
Summary: After Kristoff Bjorgman finds the troublesome runaway Anna Arendelle moping along the streets of New York, he invites her over to his place and an unlikely friendship blossoms between the two. Getting wrapped up in her world, he watches as she slowly rises into fame and he finds himself chasing his dreams right after her, or maybe, just her. Kristanna!Stardom AU
1. Chapter 1: An Unlikey Meeting

**hi everyone. so this story just popped into my head bc of the lack of kristanna fics out there. ;w; but im not sure if i should continue this... please r&r and enjoy~**

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"Your music sucks!"

The barista screeched as he threw the little redhead out of his shop with ease, hitting her bottom on the cold wet streets of New York as the rain continued to pour above her head.

Those words were enough to break Anna Arendelle's heart into a million tiny pieces, her face twisting in grimace as her eyebrows knit up with her big round eyes having tears threatening to pour right out as she looked up.

"W-wait! No!" she immediately recovered from her fall as she got up and clutched at the shop owner's shirt, begging. "Please—_please_! I need the job I can play 24/7 if you want just—"

"Are you deaf, lassie?!" the man turned to her, the beating of her heart pounding against her chest as she tried to not take his words to heart. "I said, your. Music. _Sucks_. Find another guy or deaf man to listen to your music!"

She caught a glimpse of what he was holding in one hand, the warm air of his shop tickling her face as she held back and bit her lower lip.

_Wait, no, no—not my—_

He broke from her grasp and threw her against the floor again, falling on the ground on her bottom once more.

_Crash_

_No._

Anna watched in horror as her guitar, her dreams, her career—her life crash and fall before her eyes. Her heart sank as she clutched on her damp skirt and grazed her hand to her knee, now scarred by the rough surface of the streets of New York.

"Kids, sheesh!" the man grumbled as he slammed the door behind him. "It's so hard to find raw tale_nt these days…"_

It wasn't Anna's fault.

She had nothing to do with it. She didn't want to run away from home to a city she barely knew. She didn't want to be all alone and no place to sleep in a scary city that she wasn't fond of. It wasn't her fault that she caught a bad cold that she can't sing properly even if she wanted to. It wasn't her fault that she ended up cold and alone in the streets of New York because she's chasing after her dream.

Sniffles.

Anna wasn't going to cry. She was a strong, independent woman who was trying to find a job so that she could continue on living. She doesn't need anybody. Or so she believes.

She picked up her cream-colored guitar, cradling it in her arms as if soothing a baby to sleep. There was an unlikely crack on the side of it now as she grazed her fingers over it to memorize its crevices like a song.

Anna immediately got up. She knew couldn't mope around, still having burning hope in her heart. She didn't run all the way to New York just to get rejected by an old fart after all.

"Right!" she cheered to himself as she brushed off her skirt and hoisted her guitar over her shoulder while blinking back tears. Fisting her hands she pumped them into the air with a burning determination stirring in her soul. "I can't lose hope now! There are like, over hundreds of other shops who'd accept me… right?"

Her voice cracked slightly, hoarse from the cold she caught. She shook her head and began to walk down the wet streets, careful not to slip and fall on her bottom again. Her wet skirt dancing in each step she took, not caring that her pink shirt was already soaked in the rain.

"Hmmph!" she huffed to herself. "One day if I get famous I am _so _going to get revenge on that old man! Huh, who asked _him_ to judge my talents? What does he know about talent, about my life, my dreams, my—"

Her voice caught up in her throat as she stopped on the curb, the streetlamps flicking on and off along the empty streets. Not a single shadow to be seen except for hers.

_'Maybe I really do suck._

Anna came to the conclusion as she looked up into the heavens and hung her head backward letting the rain fall on her delicate face like teardrops. Dusk had already settled over New York, a place she was unfamiliar of despite its fame. Her eyes clouding and pooling with her own tears as well as she continued to watch her whole world falling apart. Despite it all, she managed to curl her lips up into a tired smile, eyebrows knitting up as she saw the heavens strike lightning into the sky, shaking and flashing lights of little hope in her heart in the middle of dusk. Not a star to be seen, hopeless.

She hung her head forward, burrowing one booted shoe into the ground. What's she going to do now? She had no place to stay… no job… no career… her dreams flushed down the drain and—

Anna began to run with eyes screwed shut as wretched memories flood her mind.

_You're not good enough_

_You're not cut out to be a star_

She just wanted to get away, far, far away.

_You have too many freckles_

_Your songs are too cliché _

_You're—_

"Ach!" she whimpered as she hit a rather sturdy, yet human like form in her sprint, making her stagger back and fall on a grimy puddle on her bottom again. Her skirt was soaking wet now with mud, and gosh did she swear her arse was swelling already from falling down for too many times in one night, she's lost count.

"You _really_ should watch where you're going," she heard a man sigh above her. Anna's vision had blurred, easing a hand to her head as her sight shook from her fall. Looking up, she saw a blonde man with quite a rough physique. "Seriously, who bumps into the one person walking in an empty street? Are you blind? Or maybe you were running with your eyes closed? Maybe you should get your eyes checked."

He scowled above her, cranking his neck and popping the knots on his broad shoulders with a black umbrella in one hand and eased his free hand to straighten his jacket.

Anna felt the lump in her throat rise, the heaviness in her chest being a burden to her now unsteady breathing. Somehow, the man above her reminded her of how much worse her night could actually get. She sniffled, trying to hold back the welling tears in the corners in her eyes.

She didn't meant to, really.

"I'm sorry it's just that—" she took a sharp inward breath and exhaled heavily, her eyes traveling everywhere, uncertain where she should lock her gaze at. "—I'm having a bad day, and I didn't mean to bump into you, a-and yeah I was running with my eyes closed and it's just that—" she choked. "I'm _sorry_."

The blonde couldn't believe he actually made a complete stranger cry. Almost. Now she was just making him feel like a complete jerk about it. He was left flabbergasted as he watched her hold back, her cheeks puffing red and her eyes screwing shut as she tried to hide her face by wiping her tears using her arm soaked in the rain. He figured he was being too harsh on the poor girl…

He cursed beneath his breath and sighed in defeat.

"Here, get up," he reached out and offered his hand. Anna was quite fazed that even though she crashed into him like a mad bull with bloodshot eyes jousting its target, he didn't fall. She did see him stumble from their unlikely crash, but guessing by the looks of it, from his flexing muscle beneath his coat, and her eyes tracing the veins popping in his wrist, it took more than just a puppy like her to bring down this man. Nevertheless, she did take his hand as she stopped her sobbing.

Pulling herself up, she faced down on the ground not wanting to look up the stranger. She just crashed into him, got yelled at and _almost_ cried in front of him. Gosh, that was embarrassing. Not that she wanted to make a good impression on him or anything but…

"I'm sorry, _really_," she admitted sincerely this time, still scared of looking him in the eye as she wiped the wretched tears that stained her face, poorly hidden in the rain. "I'll be more careful next time. I got to go—"

Just when she was about to slip past him, his calloused hands suddenly grasped her wrist tightly. Her heart stopped.

"You're not from around here, aren't you?"

"Um, no," she admitted turning to him.

"Do you have a coat? An umbrella?"

She shook her head no.

"…a place to stay?"

Again, she shook her head as she felt her cheeks flare. Her eyes batted up at him in curiosity why he was peppering her with questions.

Anna got a good view of him now, she was right. He was _big_, but not fat big. He was more of muscular kind of big. Blonde hair a mop beneath a warm fuzzy beanie hat and a black jacket. He had sort of a big nose, but it looked good on him. His cheeks were bright pink, maybe from the cold or maybe he's blushing? She wasn't sure.

_He is kind of cute…_

Anna mentally slapped herself.

Finally, after an awkward silence the blonde managed to choke out words.

"C'mere," he said as he pulled her towards his broad chest. Anna's cheeks burned as her mind went completely for a moment as she was pressed against him. She felt him shift against her.

"Here," he offered as she felt a sudden warmth envelope her entire body. He wrapped his jacket around her and the pulled the hood over her head. She looked up at him, shocked. He shrugged at her and began walking down the road.

Shocked, she couldn't help but tilt her head towards the complete stranger who's just given her his jacket. She cocked an eyebrow at him just in time for him to see as he looked at her over his shoulder.

"Are you coming or what?" Anna cringed as she then squinted her eyes at him, still skeptical.

"W-Where?"

"My apartment," he stated bluntly as he turned away from her and began to walk straight ahead again. "I assure you it's a lot cozier than staying in the streets surviving on leftovers with the rats, you know."

Anna felt tears well, threatening to stream down her face again, but held it back. No one has _ever_ done her a nice gratitude in weeks, not her sister, not her maids left at home, not the talent scouts, but it was this rugged stranger she absolutely knew nothing about.

She bit back her grin and clutched at his jacket that was comfortably wrapped around her as she began to run towards him stopping abruptly as she walked side by side with him.

"You should dry off, don't want you catching a—"

"_Achoo!" _

Anna suddenly sneezed right in front of him, but in just the right time to cover her button nose and mouth. With a runny nose, she sniffed her cold back in.

"—cold. Too late," he sighed.

From the corner of his eyes, he could see her small shoulders shaking from the cold. He groaned to himself again.

With one hand holding his umbrella up, his arm reached towards her and tugged her in an undeniably awkward hug. Anna jerked her head up at him in surprise, feeling her cheeks flush almost immediately as his body warmth enveloped her in the sudden closeness.

"T-the extra warmth helps," his cheeks were burning as well as he strained himself not to look down at her puppy dog eyes. Her shoulder kept bumping up his chest. "Don't look at me like that!"

She giggled.

"I'm Anna," she introduced herself politely, still not wavering to break contact with him as her boots made splashing noises on muddy puddles.

"Kristoff," he replied casually, finally looking down to meet her gaze. "Starts with a K and ends with two F's."

She was small, that's for sure. He thought he might be a foot taller than her, considering how petite she was. Her auburn hair reminded him of autumn, crisp and nice. It was divided into two braids, bouncing with each step she took. Face sprinkled with freckles, button nose, tight-lipped smile—in the back of his head he was distracting himself because of the fact that she was so cute looking up at him with big round puppy eyes.

He mentally jabbed himself.

"Thank you," Anna said sincerely as they walked, his fingers easing over her shoulder as he drew her closer, seeing how she was still shivering against him. "Really."

He smiled back.

_Maybe this stranger isn't so bad after all._

Kristoff thought in the back of his head as the rain continued to pour above the umbrella, even though she was sort of annoying and stubborn. Anna had her guitar slung on her back ready if he were ever going to try anything funny—she wouldn't think twice of smashing it on his head.

But she did think he was nice, too.

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**im not sure if i should continue this... it's bc of the lack of kristanna fics i want to contribute in making a kristanna modern au, too. ;) please leave a review if you think i should continue this.**

**till next time bros~**


	2. Chapter 2: Little warmth

_I have no idea what I'm doing._

Kristoff thought as he glanced over his shoulder, the sound of the shower running she's using echoed through the halls. Cheeks bright pink as he chewed on his inner cheek nervously.

This wasn't like him. Normally, Kristoff would shrug people off and never gave a damn about what other people thought or felt. He's lived in New York for over two years without _any_ friends without regrets. Well, he's made some acquaintances (Oaken, the landlord of the apartment that wouldn't stop bugging him about his monthly dues, some customers in the coffee shop he works at, and some of his workmates in the construction site.)

The farthest he's gone with anyone was saying 'hi' and 'hello'. And usually barked at them to go away. But inviting a complete stranger to his apartment? _Never_.

But he let his manliness crumble to the ground when he saw the ginger moping on the ground, eyes wide with emotion with tears threatening to stream down her face. He's put himself in an impossible situation.

His face flushed deeper as he had _never_ brought a girl home in his entire life. It wasn't like he was thinking of such—thoughts but… he knew if his folks knew about this, they'd never let him off. His mom would probably rant away about how he should marry this random girl he's met on the streets with endless giggles at the back of her throat and his dad would probably give him a big pat on the back, with tears in his eyes and proudly nodding at him and calling him his son.

He crossed his fingers wishing that they wouldn't visit tonight, please, _not_ tonight. His parents did have the weird habit of just suddenly bursting into his apartment without his permission.

But for tonight, he just wanted a nice, peaceful evening with… her? Nope, she could get some sleep and get out. It wasn't like he was getting chummy with her at all.

He sighed as he reverted his attention back to the TV.

"I'm, um, done."

Kristoff's head jerked towards the squeaky voice, finding Anna standing over him. Her hair dripping wet from the shower, finally loose from its braids as it cascaded down over her shoulder. She wore a jersey with the nimber _13_ written on it that covered over her lower half and shorts that was just above her knees. The blonde blushed.

"Uh, cool," his voice caught in his throat.

"I guess I should get going…"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kristoff exclaimed as he caught her wrist in his hand by impulse. "Going out and getting wet again without a place to stay? Really."

Anna swallowed the lump in her throat, turning to him as she chewed on her lower lip. "Uh… yeah?"

He shook his head, a chuckle rumbling from his chest.

"You can stay here for the mean time," he patted the cushion of the couch hoping she'd grab a seat next to him. "Here, sit. I made you hot chocolate."

Anna shrugged as she obliged. She plopped down the seat next to him, swinging her legs playfully as they watched the news uneasily in silence for a moment.

"Thank you, really," she managed to say as she took the cup from the coffee table and cradled it in hand, nervously tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "For all of _this_."

"No problem," he answered nonchalantly, never wavering to break his gaze from the newscaster. "Still, did your parents ever warn you about strangers?"

Anna froze at the question, but relaxed as she exhaled heavily. Kristoff felt the tension in the air rise, still uncomfortable within each other's presence. "Well, yes they did."

_Okay maybe it wasn't a good idea to make myself look suspicious._

Kristoff thought in regret as he watched her shift her weight on the couch, an awkward silence following.

"But the thing is," Anna managed to cough out as she looked up at him, striking him with her blue eyes. "My womanly instincts, somehow, I mean—I trust you."

Kristoff felt his heart beat a little quicker. But chose to ignore it.

She laughed as she tucked a stray lock of hair back her ear.

"I mean, a gentleman brought me in when no one else would. So, I'm in debt to you. Do you… think that's weird?"

He shook his head.

"No, definitely not," he said as he leaned back the couch, grabbing a handful of fries and stuffing it up his mouth as he turned the TV on. "And just so you know, I'm no gentleman. Just… nice for the day, better use up all my niceness before rubbing it off."

She giggled again.

"So, tell me, what brings you to New York? It takes lots of guts to get around here, especially if you don't have anyone you know."

Anna turned her head and glanced at the TV. The news was on and said something about a robbery in some big bank around Los Angeles.

"Actually, I do," she shrugged, eyes rolling. Kristoff strained to look at her from the corner of his eyes, keeping his attention from her and the TV. So far so good with the harmless stranger. "She's my sister. We used to be close but now we're just—you know. _Not_ anymore."

"Harsh," he nodded as blinked at the TV.

"So I came here. Well, to go after her—and my dream. But so far I've had 0 progress in both."

"Lemme guess," he said as he turned to her and wiggled his eyebrows at her guitar. "You came here to become some top notch singer, huh?

Anna took a slow sip from her cup as she nodded, warmth enveloping her insides. But she didn't consider herself as top notch or anything…

"I did," she said as her head inched up to look up the ceiling, staring dreamily into nowhere. "You guessed, huh?"

"Well, lots of people pack their bags and head around here to find agents to take them in. Not much are successful, you got to have passion, talent, and all that stuff," he stated in disinterest as he reverted his attention back to the TV. Somehow, his nerves calmed down to the presence of the ginger next to him.

She grew silent for a moment, only their heavy breathing hung in the air. Kristoff's nerves perked up in attention once more as he thought back on what he said—did he say something wrong?

"I want to sing," Anna stated in blatant manner.

They turned their heads towards each other, seeing a burning determination swirl within her deep blue colored eyes. Her small hands clenched down and wrapped itself along the hot cup.

"I want to sing," she said again, a soft smile played along her lips as passion rushed within every vein in her body. "I want to be heard—because nobody listens to you when you just talk, I want people to enjoy my music, I want to learn how to love cheering fans, I want to inspire, I want them to feel the emotions I feel when I sing when I shout, _scream_, cry and—" she's lost herself in her words, but he found himself lost in her too. She caught his attention once more as she choked.

"I want to sing," she managed, finally.

Kristoff found that she's a little unstable, awkward, and when she talks her hands flail everywhere and her little nose scrunching up as she talked, eyes rolling everywhere in exasperation. She spilled her words out like water, leaving him to slowly drown in them.

He smiled at her softly, leaning over her as his breath ghosted over her freckled face.

"Then sing for me."

His own words surprised himself, as if he had said it by impulse. He chewed on his inner cheek nervously, all his efforts of trying not to get close to the stranger had gone down the drain. He got too caught up in her. "—I mean, I'd love to hear you sing, I'm sure you're a great singer just look at you! So young and talented it'd be great if you—"

Anna felt her face heat up, shyly nodding at him as she chewed on her lip. She opened her mouth to sing, for him, and maybe by singing she'd cut him off his babbling.

But instead she—

_Achoo!_

She sneezed into her palm, wiping her nose in the process and completely destroying the mood.

_Great. Way to go, Anna._

She silently cursed to herself. Hoping she hadn't grossed the wits out of him yet.

He managed to laugh out despite her unladylike manners as he shifted his weight on the couch to turn to her.

"It's getting late…" his voice trailed off as he glanced at the clock hanging up the cream-colored walls of his apartment. "You should get some sleep. You can use my room, I'll take the couch. If you get hungry there's cold pizza in the fridge. Feel right at home, Red."

Anna gave him a look of concern.

"Are you sure?"

"Positively."

She nodded as she took his kindness astride, getting up and brushing her jersey before excusing herself. She placed the cup back at the table.

Before she disappeared along the halls, she turned back at him with a smile on her delicate face, hands fisted on her jersey shirt.

"Thank you," she said in a sincere voice that only he had heard, and he alone behind the storm brewing outside. He found himself watching her trot down the hall and disappearing into the darkness with her hair bouncing behind her back.

Since when did he become such a softie? He finally made plans in the back of his head that he'd pay the gym a visit tomorrow after picking Sven up from the clinic, he had _a lot_ of catching up to do that concerned his manliness.

Maybe, just maybe, he could get used to the company. And the unfamiliar warmth that he felt that swirled in his chest. Just when he thought Sven's company was enough.

Guessing she wouldn't poke her head around any longer to check up on him—if she ever cared, he silently whispered a closing to himself, hoping that it'd miraculously find it's way towards her. Eyelids heavy, pictures of the ginger smiling at him behind his head, on replay like a broken radio. Maybe the sandman would bring him good dreams tonight.

"Goodnight, Anna. Sweet dreams, I guess."

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**so yeah im continuing this... ps, im sorry for any mistakes. english isnt my native language. but i tried. ;-;**

**if i get fueled with enough motivation, i'll update every twice a week. i'm open for suggestions, still thingking this story through. ;)**

**reviews are greatly appreciated. thank you~**


	3. Chapter 3: Missing

The suns blinding rays slowly seeped beneath Kristoff's weary eyes the next morning. Sprawled on the couch, one arm slung over his eyes with both feet plopped down on the coffee table. He grunted as he sat up, blinking as he wiped the sleep off his eyes.

He was astonished to find himself thinking of the ginger first thing in the morning.

Kristoff popped the knots that had formed in his languid body, yawning as he got up and brushed his shoes out of the way walking bare foot around the place, letting his foot sink in the carpet. Before he thought of facing the ginger he rubbed the dried off saliva on the side of his mouth and he chafed it with his thumb. Though he really didn't care about personal hygiene he figured he needed to somehow needed to make himself look presentable to his guest. Just for now.

But it was quiet. A little _too_ quiet.

He made his way to his bedroom, only to find it empty. The bed was made as if it wasn't used at all. Spick and span. He checked the refrigerator, the cold pizza still in its plate. He looked inside the cabinet, behind the counter, by the rack, but he found nothing. Not even her guitar.

Just when he was about to convince himself that she was nothing but a dream, he caught a glimpse of an unfamiliar piece of paper by the coffee table.

_Thanks for everything. It means so much. _

_-Anna_

The piece of paper said he had guessed she wrote. It ended with doodled hearts, he found himself absorbed in how the hearts curled itself up in caricature. It was like art, simple, yet mystifying.

A thank you note. Not a goodbye. He didn't like goodbyes anyways.

His sunken eyes glanced back back his place, fridge full and untouched, couch empty without her, floor squeaky clean leaving without her trace nor her flowery scent.

He felt disappointment stir in his soul, but he knew he shouldn't be. This was what he wished for, alone again. Old routines back, only him and Sven living the boring life of New Yorkers without the little sunshine he's met the previous night.

Kristoff felt his chest hollow, heavy. The pit in his stomach having an empty void that she had took with her. And somehow, he needed her to fill it in again. To feel human.

He knew she would haunt him in his sleep.

She was gone.

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Kristoff's life is a big schedule. Quite the routine person. He loved to sort things out, organized. Not like some freak who lets the fates be everyday, he's the man who goes against fate.

He woke up, got dressed, went out for a short jog to warm up before visiting the gym, dropped by the gym, showered, and now—he's picking Sven up from the doctor.

He kicked a rock across his way before tucking his hands in his jacket. It's been audibly cold around New York lately. He watched his frozen breath dance as he exhaled, tucking his face back into his scarf. Disheveled hair warm and cozy tucked inside his beanie.

His thoughts wandered off towards the ginger he's met the previous night, though he tried hard to shake her off his mind. Bouncing his thoughts from Sven, how's he doing, how much dough he had left, what he should have for dinner, and—_Anna_.

Anna?

"Dang it," he cussed to himself, making a random passerby drinking expensive Starbucks in hand jerk her head up at him. He gave her a death glare passing through her glasses, making her squabble away in hurry—like a scared little kitten running away in retreat.

_Good, _he thought to himself quietly, making sure this time he wouldn't just randomly cuss around people.

But he was still left in a trance, evil magic she had left on him.

Still, he was thinking too much about her. Not like he liked her or anything but… he felt a connection with her. And just when he was convinced that he had a heart—she was gone.

The piece of paper she left felt heavy in his pocket, crumpled proof that she was real. Not some fantasy he made up because he's been alone for too long. She left a jagged edge in his heart—a lasting memory that she was real.

For a moment, Kristoff shrugged, thinking that he was hearing things, hearing _her_. A mellow, resonating voice full and rich with emotions evoked him of memories of her, ringing like gunfire across the streets. Followed by the strumming of an instrument—a guitar?

His eyes didn't deceive him as he looked up, heart stopping, face in shock.

A small crowd bundled over a ginger as she sang… _Anna_.

Just when he thought fate wouldn't let them cross paths any longer.

He stopped in his tracks. Watching from afar, he listened.

"—When you walk away I count the steps that you take/ Do you see how much I need you right now?"

He's heard this song before—on the radio? TV? The name of the artist who sang this was April Levine, if he remembered correctly. Or not. But he didn't care about showbiz or any fake actress and singer on TV—but she was singing, so he listened.

"When you're gone/ The pieces of my heart are missing you—"

He watched her as she strummed her guitar, the way her braids bounced along with her, her hips swishing back and forth, her skirt following as she did so. And the smile and emotion that never wiped off her face.

Her fingertips looked so soft—delicate, but not fragile. It worried him that she might break them as she lost herself in the music.

"When you're gone/ The face I came to know is missing too—"

Her voice was soothing, like a lullaby that reminded him of his mother singing to him when he was young. Though he hinted she still had a cold, taking in heavy breaths and exhaling heavily, unnaturally for a singer. Strained, but beautiful.

He closed his eyes.

"When you're gone/ The words I need to hear to always get me through the day—"

He pictured her singing among a bigger crowd, a stage and all lights flashing at her. And as the guitar slowed, big red curtains suddenly interrupt as the song came to a closing.

"And make it OK…"

Slowly, he fluttered his eyes open.

"I miss _you_."

Their eyes met.

His heart stopped.

The small crowd erupted in cheers, a big grin stayed on her face as she took an beguiling bow before slinging her guitar behind her.

He didn't go along with the crowd. He kept his hands bunched inside his jacket, mouth shut as he chewed on his lower lip. Eyes soft on her.

Anna suddenly slouched over as she took the pennies and dimes people had put in her handkerchief after the show, the crowd still around. She waves a final goodbye and a flying kiss as farewell before disappearing behind the stores doors behind her.

Kristoff felt another tug on his gut as he tried to catch his breath.

And just like that, she was gone. Again.

He sadly looked down on his shoes as he poked on the ground. His mind raced as thoughts that she was trying to avoid him coursed in every way. He was perfectly fine with maybe a hello, a smile, but not an ignorant sashay into a shop leaving a dagger in his heart.

He gave a half-shrug, convincing himself that he didn't care. They weren't even near the word—friends. Acquaintances. A mere business relationship they had agreed to. Him taking her in for the night because she had no other place to run to, her leaving because the contract had ended.

It took an antagonizing long moment before he could drag his feet to pass by the shop she disappeared into. Regret pocketed in his jacket.

Suddenly, the door opened with a bell resounding behind, Anna flying across him.

"Hey!" she cried out in protest as she hit her bum on the dirt by the flowerbeds across the shop. Kristoff's eye twitched as his gaze followed her.

"Get out, kid!" the shop owner stormed at her, the crowd had already dispersed. "You think I'd sell you a whole meal for just _two_ dollars?! Do you think money grows on trees?"

Kristoff was left silent in between them. Anna still oblivious of his presence.

Shaking her head as she got up, she scooped up dirt into her palms, ready to throw it at the him, determined to give him a piece of her mind. "It's not nice to _throw_ people—! He-hey!" Kristoff's thoughts of ignoring her were pushed to a side as he cut her off and grabbed onto her, pulling her back. "Oh, hi Christopher!" she chirped in the middle of her fury as her face lit up to the sight of the burly blonde man.

"It's _Kristoff_," he corrected with an eye roll since he's gone through the basics the previous night before pulling her away. He was wrong about her. She wasn't some helpless little girl that cried when something went wrong. She was spunky, feisty, and acted a lot before she could think.

"Just let the old man be! Come on…"

"Okay, I'm calm," she huffed as she turned away with him, chin up in pride as his grip loosened around her.

"Great," Kristoff said, satisfied.

However, another thing he learned about her was that she didn't give up so easily. The moment he turned away, Anna suddenly hurled the dirt ball in hand at the shop owner as hard as she could. He should be taking notes.

"Oh, come on!" he cried out in disbelief.

Seeing the shop owners veins pop in his temple, he suddenly drew out his butcher knife as he shook off the dirt and fumed towards the two.

Kristoff's hands found their place on her shoulder, pushing her to sprint down across the street. "Now you've made him mad!"

"It's his fault!" she protested as she ran beside him, passing by gantlets of people.

Just when Kristoff thought things wouldn't get any worse, Anna just had to trip over thin air. Her guitar scraping on the ground.

He dug his heels into a stop, turning to get her up her feet. The shop owner just behind them waving his butcher knife above his head like a madman. He had no idea how he got involved in this situation but he definitely wasn't hanging around to get turned into minced meat.

"Come on!" he said as he hooked his hands beneath her arms and pulled her up. Wrist in hand, he started to make a dash for it.

The bellowing shop owner hollered not too far behind them.

* * *

"Next time, try not to throw dirt at people," Kristoff exhaled tiredly at her, sweat beading on his forehead as he leaned behind the wall. Anna beside him as they hid behind a dark alley.

"Sorry," she frowned as she tried to catch her breath. "I was just… hungry."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Why didn't you eat the pizza in my fridge?"

"It's embarrassing," she admitted as she looked up at him between her batting eyelashes. "You've given me so much—I can't accept it all. And I'm sorry," she toyed with one of her braids, cheeks flushing. "And thanks again. For saving my butt out there."

"I told you already, it's okay. You can stay with me until you find a place to stay around here—" his own words surprised him. Anna looked up at him, bewildered.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said as one of his hands found the back of his neck, rubbing in embarrassment. Finally steadying his breath. "And plus, you owe me, right?"

"?"

"Your promise?"

"Oh," she squeaked as she tucked her bangs behind her ear. "The song? You still remember that?"

"Hard to forget when the girl I helped disappeared right after I gave her a place to stay."

She paused for a moment.

"Sorry. I won't do that again. If I ever leave, I'll make sure you know."

"Good," he said, pleasingly. "And it'd bad if you roam around here alone, don't want New York to have news of murder with that butcher running around after you."

She blew up in laughter as they made their ascent back towards his apartment from the dark alley.

"You're right, and again—thank you."

Kristoff caught a glimpse of Anna in the corner of his eyes, her lopsided grin made her freckled cheeks full and red. He smiled back.

"You're welcome."

And only then did he realize that she was the missing piece to his humanity, and everything else had fallen right into place.

* * *

**song: when you're gone by avril lavigne **

**thanks to everyone who reviewed and everything! ive thought the story through, more characters will appear later on. but i need your help again concerning a character that's going to appear on the next chapter. it would be lovely if you voted the poll on my profile. please and thank you~**

**review?**


	4. Chapter 4: New Crew

"Okay," Kristoff exhaled as he turned to Anna who was mindlessly standing next to him. Her little nose scrunching up to him beneath her fedora hat at his announcement. "We're here."

In the much less buzzing streets of New York, an old shack mingled in between much grander shops around it. Anna's bright eyes fixed at the shop, its rusty windows looked like it was going to fall off, and its walls seemed like it'd cave in at any moment. She swallowed nervously.

It's been a week since Anna came to stay with Kristoff and Sven, their routines changing mildly after the ginger squeezed her self into the picture.

He granted her his very bedroom for her to sleep in, let her play with Sven, thankful his mutt was very fond of the ginger. Despite all he had given her, she wanted to repay her little debt.

Anna vowed she'd pay back Kristoff's kindness, only to find much less luck along the streets since it's been a week since she was hunting for a decent job. Her first job did start at a big bakery, her first shift ending with her wolfing down the pastries after forgetting to grab breakfast at the blondes place. She couldn't work at any clothing store, mostly because she couldn't fold her own underwear. Always having a helper back home to do it for her. Nor could she accept the job at the pet store without blowing her top off from what just watching the 'adorable' animals in their cages and claiming she needed to free her people from oppression.

The only thing she's got is her voice.

And this was the only answer to Kristoff's sleepless nights of waking up to her constant wailing that she's not good enough.

He pulled out a rusted key from his pocket, dangling as he loomed it over the doorknob. Knowing his life would gradually change further more after he opened the shop doors, he took in one last breath before opening.

A heavy aroma of caffeine hung in the air, wooden floorboards leading to a perfectly carved counter with barstools set at its side. Matching wooden faded chairs and tables seemed ancient as Anna's grandfather. And the subject of her fascination caught in the far corner of her eyes—a stage.

Images of her singing on that stage excited her to no end.

Suddenly, a barbarian snow-bearded man emerged from beneath the counter, turning his head as he stretched his tattooed arms out towards Kristoff in greeting.

"Kristoff!" he bellowed happily. "You seem awfully early today. I know it's still early but I need you to run by the dairy store and get me… oh," he flinched at Anna's presence. Managing an immediate grin in recovery. "You… brought a _girl_."

Kristoff rolled his eyes at the old man.

"Yeah, because it's a she with flimsy hair and perfectly curvy hips."

Anna blushed.

"No offense," Kristoff gushed back, the slightest hint of red on his cheeks at the realization of what he said.

"None taken."

"Kristoff!" the tattooed man grudged towards the two, having the legs the size of tree trunks stomping on the floor. "That is no way to talk to a lady!" he turned to Anna, apologetically shaking his head as he took her hands in his. "Sorry, milady. You know how hormones affect little boys heads at this time of age," he cupped his mouth as he whispered. "Late bloomer."

"Hey!"

"I know, I somehow managed to put up with it," Anna giggled at Kristoff's look of disbelief.

"My name is North, owner of this lovely shop you're sated at," He regarded gregariously as he shook her hand. "By any chance, are you…?"

"Yeah, she's the one I've been talking about," Kristoff blurted as his hand found the back of his neck, rubbing shyly.

"She's perfect!" cheered North after a long stare into the ginger's eyes. His hands finding her shoulders as he shook her, Anna cracking a sheepish smile. "Bright eyes! Working nose! Strong teeth! Yes, yes, you'll do nicely for Kristoff. Wait till Cliff and Bulda hear about this—"

"She's _not_ my girlfriend," Kristoff deadpanned, the blush on his face spreading further. North frowned.

"Oh…"

"She's the one I've been talking about. The singing business?"

"Ah, yes," North beamed before leaning to whisper into Anna's ears again. "But you know, Kristoff's still available I assure you he's a big lump under those layer of sweat and muscles—"

"North!"

"Okay, okay," the old man chortled gleefully at the two. Both hands placing at their shoulders as he pulled them close. "It's a wonderful day to be with my crew! It's still early, would you like to have something?"

"Well, if you insist that would be lovely," Anna chirped, the smell of burning pancakes made her absolutely ravenous.

"Wonderful!" he smiled warmly as he ushered her to the counter before turning to Kristoff. "Oh, and Kristoff? Like I was saying, could you drop by the dairy shop and order the usual? We can't make hot chocolate without milk for our lovely singer now, isn't that right?"

"Sure," he shrugged nonchalantly as he made his way back to the door, the cold air rushing inside the shop. Before he stepped out, he heard North call out again.

"Hurry back before opening time. I'm making hash browns, we're having a grand celebration that we finally found an entertainer in the shop! This'll surely bring customers pouring in."

"Of course," he said as he turned and caught a glimpse of Anna sitting as she marveled at the chocolate drink in hand, blushing when she realized Kristoff had locked his gaze on her. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

Usually, Kristoff would be cleaning off tables or count the cars passing by outside out of boredom on the usual day at the shop before running off to the construction site down town to earn more dough. Fortunately, this must've been those better days. And things'll get better.

Kristoff's soft eyes casted on Anna, who was trying to balance her weight on the wooden stool and the fact that she's teetering with the guitar at hand. He knew if she fell off, he would jump right over the counter with first aid kit in hand and possibly knocking over the two customers seated in front of him drinking mocha blends in hand. Thankfully, she didn't fall off. She managed to keep her cool, head swaying as her braids followed as she sang.

He could see in the way her lips quivered, she was clearly intimidated by the growing crowd. Whispering, staring and smiling at her presence since North's shop never had such lively entertainment before. Sure, North had invited others in his shop. But it never worked out. Magicians with failed magic tricks, rock bands with deafening screams that wasn't their type at all, and obnoxious comedians North had no choice but to order Kristoff to kick their butts off his shop after demanding a higher pay.

But Anna? Her talent was just cake and her pretty face was the cherry on top.

Hiccup Haddock, a scholar at a near university and a regular at the shop took notice of Kristoff's intent staring behind fogged up glasses. Playfully nudging his ribs. "Got a thing for freckle-face, huh?"

The blonde gave a half-shrug as he pursed his lips when he hunched over, having a little break with Anna catching everyone else's attention.

"Not really. Just…" He thumbed at the façade of the counter finding the right words to say. "Listening. Like everybody else. It's kind of nice to have music playing around here. Especially when business is slow."

"I guess," Hiccup shrugged as he adjusted his glasses up his freckled nose as his eyes flicked around the place. "But I'm sure business isn't gonna be running slow with her here anymore," he motioned at the growing crowd, waving his bangs off his face. People pouring in one after another, like her angelic voice was luring them into the shop. "And plus, North seems quite fond of her."

"Ahah!" North exhilarated as he balanced trays in both hands and another atop his head, like a clown balancing knives on the tip of his fingers. Skipping happily behind the counter and throwing the plates on the sink, a big pat on the blondes back almost made Kristoff choke on his water while in the middle of a big swig.

Laughter dying down before turning his pats into long soothing relieving strokes on Kristoff's back, Hiccup's turn to laugh.

"You know," North said against his trust worthy barista before trotting off to deliver orders again. "She's a keeper."

Raising an eyebrow at his undeniably happy boss, he turned his head back to Anna who's just finished another song.

Anna took a saucy curtsy as the crowd cheered and wooed for more. Gaping up, she flashed Kristoff a wink before granting the crowd another song. His stomach coiled in an unfamiliar fuzzy feeling which took every ounce of food he had for breakfast to push back vague feelings of butterflies errupting in his gut, much to his discomfort. And still, his lips managed to purse at her into a mimicking smirk, evident of his flirtatiousness.

Maybe it really wasn't that bad to have her around.

* * *

**yes, north won the poll. ;) thanks to everyone who voted! ps, i might change the title of this story so heads up for the next update!**

**i want to know your thoughts so please dont forget to leave a review ;w; ~ **


	5. Chapter 5: Unwanted Guest

Mornings usually consisted of Kristoff waking Anna up for work, and if his attempts failed in luring her to breakfast with chocolate filled pancakes, he was left with no other choice but to drag her out himself while putting up with her constant wailing. Bidding farewell to Sven for the rest of the day once they're ready, they head towards North's shop to finish off their daily duties. It had been the usual routine for the past two weeks, and never had it been boring with Anna's playful demeanor he learned to love him self.

But unfortunately, today was not one of those days.

Anna slumped tiredly down a bar stool in front of Kristoff, setting her guitar aside after putting up quite the show, as always.

"Did great, feisty-pants," he commended as he dried off glass cups by the counter, sleeves rolled up with a white apron around his waist that the ginger usually teased for being _unmanly_.

Anna's giggling stifled as she took Kristoff's usual offer, cold mocha slid in front of her. "Thanks," she nodded at the compliment, knowing she was getting accustomed to the crowd. She took a slow slip before chirping again. "Anything I can help with? Throw the trash out? Wait tables? Anything, gimme something."

Another thing Kristoff learned from the freckled ginger was _not_ to give her strenuous jobs. Or any job a_t all_. He learned this the hard way.

"N-No," he declined vigilantly. "It's fine. Why don't you try, er, making friends?"

"I think that's a wonderful idea," the abrupt voice chuckled not so far away from them, making the two jump a little. Hiccup, the usual customer by 2pm after his classes, grabbed a stool next to Anna as he set his laptop by the counter.

"Hi, Hic," a warming smile inched on Anna's lips, growing fond of the geek who always stopped by their shop.

"Sup."

"If you meant making friends with you, I'm pretty sure we're well acquainted by now, aren't we?"

"We are. But I didn't mean making friends with _me_, we're already friends, Banana," he said with a smile not looking away from the clear screen of the laptop he pulled out his bag. "Why don't you try with that girl over there?" the brunette motioned for a girl sitting by the end of the counter, her hair ablaze with curls erupting atop her head. Round face with a not-so-friendly look plastered on as she glanced impatiently at her wristwatch then back at the door, as if waiting for someone.

Anna gushed.

"I'm… still not really used to making friends. I still am quite blown away that I'm here talking to you guys I mean like—wow! Real live people!" she flailed her hands around. Hiccup, stealing a look from Kristoff since he didn't know Anna's origins (and clearly had no time to know) saw the blonde shrug at him.

"Home schooled."

"Figured," he tapped at his laptop. "Thing is, girls have this fleeting friendly bubbles emitting from their feminine bodies, like you. And say, if you're able to tame such a raw Kristoff, why not a plucky redhead like you?"

Anna paused before pumping a fist into the air "You're right!" she beamed, clearly swayed by Hiccup's pep talk. "I'm off to make some friends, so, um, wish me… luck?"

"You won't need it."

"Okay," jumping off the stool and huddling to the stranger.

"Very peppy," Kristoff joked as he glanced over his shoulder.

"Why, thank you. I am a major in psychology. And Anna definitely needs more friends than just a lug who talks to dogs and a geek who goes to a coffee shop for an excuse to study."

"You need a girlfriend."

"So do you."

Hiccup is quite the customer. Kristoff didn't usually strike a conversation with this man, but ever since Anna came along her breaks usually composed of her, Kristoff, and Hiccup sharing small talks with each other. Their chatters usually bounced off one topic to another and thanks to Anna's bubbly (and rather loud mouth) finds ways to string their topics all right together no matter how random their conversations were about.

Before he knew it, Anna was laughing her head off with the wild haired redhead managing small chuckles every now and then. Females were so naturally loquacious.

By earshot, the settled shop, and the fact that North had gone to do some other chores out, Kristoff could overhear their chats and he guessed Hiccup could, too.

_"You're waiting for someone?"_

_"Ye, friend of mine of two years. A think she's stayin' et her boyfriend's place fer the meantime, since ma family's kinda crowded."_

_"That's cool."_

Kristoff found her giggles _very_ distracting. Being adorable and everything distracted him very much from his work…

And that the fact that the door slammed open nearly made the glass in hand drop to the floor—sliding through the fabric first and up into the air, the glass doing two flips and finally, landing to the counter on its butt stale and good as new.

Hiccup gave him two, slow claps.

Kristoff turned away from the sink to give the customer who nearly made him lose his job by letting the glass in hand slip off his grasps a look. Only to find that it was a _girl_.

Long, golden hair down her waists, green eyes, and a freckled face but not as much as Anna's. No one else's face could get frecklier as Anna's, he figured.

Anna's eyes grew wide as saucers. Kristoff heard her make a quick apology to her new friend and immediately jumped over the counter and ducked under, not caring if her skirt flew up her waists.

Kristoff looked down at her curled up form for one long moment.

"…What are you doing?" giving an askance look as he heard light steps make its way towards the counter. She only shushed him and tugged on his pants to get him down on his knees when she heard the customer make her way to the redhead.

"Okay, this is awkward but…" she bit at her lower lip nervously before releasing a deep breath. "_That's_ my cousin."

"Wait," he let the word _cousin_ process for a moment inside his head, little Kristoff's storing files of the meaning of its word in his memory juice. "What?"

"Yes."

"Cousin? Her? You? Related?"

"Yes, yes, and yes," she confirmed before gnawing on her lower lip nervously, stealing quick glances from beneath the counter and poking her head to get a better view. "She must've come to…"

"I came to bring my cousin home, Anna," the blonde affirmed to her redheaded friend. The ginger swallowed.

"Ey, A just met a gurl around here named—"

"Heeeey espressos are right in the house!" Kristoff jugged up a cup and instantly filled it with hot coffee with the kettle in hand. Hiccup's jaw hung open.

"Um, that's coffee," she pointed before pursing her lips. "And I'm not really in the mood for anything right now."

"You can't really stay in a shop without buying anything now. And it looks like you and your friend are going to have a _long_ chat."

She paused.

"Okay. This coffee will do, thank you," she gave him a half smile waving a lock of blonde hair off her face before turning to her friend. "Okay, so look Merida…"

Her voice grew muffled when Anna tugged down Kristoff's shirt again.

"Now what?"

"Get me out of here."

"Crawl out the door at the back. I got this."

Kristoff had no idea why he was helping her. He could just drag her out, Lion King style and yell "TAKE HER" (with her size and all) and finally get things over with. No more waking up to her whining's in the middle of the night. No more sleeping in the couch. No more extra chocolates to bring home to an Anna yearning for chocolate of any kind.

But he didn't.

He definitely wouldn't admit it but he wanted her around. And he might get a little possessive but he had this vague feeling he set aside in his head that he didn't want to give her up yet. No. Not like this.

He got up and brushed his shirt and strode his way to the two ladies.

"Brownies are in the house, have some," he offered compellingly at the two, brownies he somehow magically produced out of thin air beneath the counter he presented smoothly to the ladies.

"Oh, um," again, the blonde got interrupted by his unwanted presence. "Thank you."

Kristoff gave Hiccup a look of _help_ and the brunette found himself engaging in a failed attempt to flirt with the one of them.

"Girl, did you just break wind because you are blowing me away!"

"I'mma bash yer head if ya don't stop," the redhead—of which he learned her name was Scottish decent Merida—shot Hiccup a look. Clearly, it was enough time for Anna to make her get away.

But Kristoff's hands met his forehead once the ginger's blonde cousin mentioned that she bought expensive chocolate her cousin savored for a long time, making Anna perk and bump her head against the counter.

Her whine was loud enough for her cousin to hear.

"What was that?"

"Cats!" Kristoff forced a sheepish smile. "They're everywhere and it looks like my foot just hit one under the counter."

"No it kind of sounded like…" her eyes widened even more. "Anna!"

Cover blown.

The blonde threw herself at Anna, arms squeezing her in a tight embrace once the ginger groggily poked her head out the counter.

"I missed you—_We_ missed you."

"I know."

"Wait till Auntie hears about this, we've been so worried running away and everything I figured you'd run away here! You know I've even scavenged Los Angeles for you oh god I've missed you it's like it's been forev—"

"No," Anna pulled away as she breathed. "No, Rapunzel."

"Anna…"

"No, please listen to me!" Anna pleaded, her voice strangling into a cry as she twisted her fingers against her chest. All eyes on her. "If you'd just listen to me once, not when I'm singing but when I'm actually _talking_. Please?"

Rapunzel paused, looking up at Anna before exhaling. "Okay."

"Okay," she mimicked as she inhaled. "I need to let loose a little, go after what I want. Okay? Not locked up in a mansion and being told what to do of every day of my life, you know that Rapunzel. And I'm allowed to be confused and stumble every once in a while because—this road I chose isn't the easy way out. I've accepted that," she pursed her lip, eyebrows coming together. "And the thing is, is that the town we grew up in is too small for all the dreams I held inside my head. I'm sorry, but I cannot stay."

Kristoff realized that she was a caterpillar. Wait, no, a butterfly. And when she transformed the caterpillars, they, mere spectators, didn't speak of her beauty, but of her weirdness. They wanted her to change the way she has been.

But she had wings.

There was a long pause inside the shop. Merida and Hiccup shooting glances, customers looking over their shoulders as Anna's voice cracked as she spoke, Kristoff's eyes soft on her.

"I know," Rapunzel finally said.

The look of affection was swept off Anna's face.

"Wait, what?"

"I know," Rapunzel repeated as she wrapped her arms around Anna's waists, tightly clinging to send the message that everything was alright. "That's why I'm here. To let you know that… you've got back up," the blonde smiled into the ginger's hair.

"But you said you came to bring me home," Anna frowned as she pulled away.

"Well, yes. I am," Rapunzel giggled, stroking one of the ginger's braids. "I'm going to take you back when… you become a star. And make us proud. Especially auntie. So don't mess this up!"

Anna could feel incoming tears stinging the back of her eyes as they softened, griping her cousin's shoulders. "Does mom know…?"

"Yep. She's furious and told me to come after you. But I guess rebels run in our blood. I'm saying over my boyfriend's for the meantime, gonna find a decent job as an animator down town or pursue a major in arts. I know we're going against everyone else back home but…" she pushed back her cousin's crisp crimson hair behind her ears. "You're worth it. And so is your dreams."

Both winced when their friends, Hiccup and Merida _awww'd_ from a distance. Holding their hands over their mouths as their eyes squinted in fuzzy teases.

Anna shrugged at them, a smile inching over her thin lips. She stole a look from Kristoff, her eyes a different glint of both mischief and triumph. He knew she had just pulled him into her world, warped him in eternal distraught if he would ever be worth it for her, like her dreams. So he fisted his hands into his shirt, cracking a smile in nervousness as she launches him along with her dreams, vaguely and ever so slowly falling for her naked soul.

"I won't let you down."

He knew that it wasn't a promise for only her cousin, but for him, too.

* * *

**sorry for the late update guys! been trying to write chapters in advance in all my stories but.. it seems like im failing miserably. ;( anyways, hope you enjoyed and leave a review if you liked it! sorry if it's kind of confusing or whatever but reviews are greatly loved and appreciated~ **


	6. Chapter 6: Warm Hugs

Kristoff's thick fingers plucked at his lute, the tune of it slightly overpowered by the pouring rain outside in the middle of the night. Guessing Anna had already fallen asleep after a long day's work, he decided to keep him and Sven entertained for the moment.

"Puppies are better than people/ Sven don't you think that's true?"

_"Yeah people will beat you, and curse you, and cheat you/ Everyone of em's bad except you." _he replied in a comical voice, Sven playing along with a slobbered tongue.

"But people smell better than reindeers/ Sven don't you think I'm right?" he sang in his normal voice before singing back in his comical voice.

_"That's once again true, for all except you"_

"You got me. Let's call it a night/ Goodnight. Don't let the frostbite bite."

Heaving before putting away his lute behind the couch, he finally leaned as Sven nuzzled his face up his lap. Thunder boomed outside as he closed his eyes into peaceful sleep…

"Nice duet."

Startled, he sat up. Worried it was some burglar who broke in, or Mama Bulda deciding to visit in the middle of the night without warning. Relaxing a bit once he saw Anna in her pajamas by the hall, dragging her oversized stuffed snowman he bought for her the other day in one hand like a child.

It still bewildered him that her cousin, Rapunzel allowed Anna to keep settled in a cramped apartment with a suspicious looking burly looking man like him. But one of her cousin's reasons is that she's just as broke as Anna, and she's staying over her kleptomaniac boyfriend's dormitory. Hidden in a closet so that she wouldn't get caught by the wandering landladies, sneaking out at night to do graffiti by the streets.

And plus, Anna doesn't want her guitar to get soiled by her cousin's kleptomaniac boyfriend. So she's here, still with him.

"Oh. It's just you," he sighed. "What do you want? It's 12 mid night. Get some sleep."

"I couldn't," she shrugged as she made his way to sit next to him on the couch, plopping beside him. "The storm's really… loud."

The two of them sat in silence for a moment as the storm brewed outside. Watching Sven nuzzle up the plush Kristoff bought for Anna, since it's too big to let it sit on the couch with the two of them. Taking up much space on the floor.

"Yeah, couldn't sleep either," he managed to say. Though Anna tends to mess things up a lot, it was awfully nice to have company especially after having a – "_Nightmare_."

Anna turned to him, her hair in two haphazardly tied braids bouncing as she did so. Guessing it grew messier after tossing and turning in her sleep earlier.

"You had a nightmare?" a hint of concern in her voice. Kristoff immediately wished he didn't blurt such words out and just let her do all the talking as usual. But oddly, he did want to vent out a little of his feelings every now and then.

"Uh, yeah. Don't worry. It's nothing," he yawned reassuringly, wishing she'd just let him sleep. He avoided her gaze that stared him down as he closed his eyes and threw his head back on the couch, done with their little conversation.

An uncomfortable silence followed.

He felt her shift her weight on the couch, springs bouncing beneath them as he heard her squeak. "Are you scared?"

The images of him losing her in his dream flooded his mind. He managed to choke out a response.

"N-No."

"Hug."

His eyes flew open.

"Hug," she repeated when he turned to her. Anna's arms open with a pout on her mall lips. Kristoff felt his cheeks flare while his throat began to dry out.

"Wait, what!?"

Anna rolled her eyes.

"I said, _hug_ you dolt!" the pout on her lips turning into a deep frown. Kristoff stared and stared, his brain rebooting at her words. Finally, he was able to shake off the fuzzy feeling off his chest.

"W-what are you talking about?"

"Well," Anna began as she collected her arms to her lap, twisting fingers as she spoke. "When I was a kid and got nightmares, my sister was always there to give me warm hugs. And when I grew up and she was gone, my cousin Olaf was the one who continued to give me hugs. So…" she turned to him and spread her arms out again. "Hug?"

Kristoff's cheeks puffed before bursting in laughter. Just the idea of it was stupid, and made him feel _very_ uncomfortable.

"No," he shook his head as he cloaked his embarrassment in laughter. "Definitely not."

"Oh but come on!" Anna insisted as she moved in a little closer, Kristoff feeling an undeniable urge to throw himself in her arms. "It's really nice, especially after a scary dream. And it'll keep the both of us warm! Warm hugs! That's what my cousin always told me…"

Kristoff was thankful for the dim lit room that hid his blushing cheeks, and the thunder resonating outside that overpowered the beating of his heart. He gave in.

"Fine," he obliged and moved into her arms, the ginger happily pulling him in.

The drumming of his heart against his chest worried him that she'd feel it, and it she's just so undeniably warm and soft as she slipped her arms around his neck and clung tightly. His arms felt like jelly on his sides, letting her control the mood. She smells like strawberries and flowers that evoked him of memories of spring and the warmth of it.

He let his chin bump against her shoulder blades when she rested the top of hers on his broad shoulders. His eyelids heavy, just the feeling of her around him was nice… very nice…

"Anna?"

"Hm?" she hummed against his ear as she pressed her chest against his, drawing him closer. At peace in the middle of chaos brewing outside.

"Can you…" his voice trailed off a bit as he moved his hands to fit perfectly on her hips, hoping he wasn't going too far. "Sing for me?"

She pulled away.

"You mean, right now?"

"Y-yeah. It's a promise, right?"

She paused before pulling him in again.

"Okay," she said as she stroked his blonde locks, smoothing her fingers through his hair. She felt Sven curl up by her foot as one hung loosely down the couch, the other twisted on her lap.

"I remember tears streaming down your face/ When I said, "I'll never let you go"—" she began to sing. A random song she perfected on the guitar months ago. He grew still.

"When all those shadows almost killed your light/ I remember you said, "Don't leave me here alone"/ But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight—"

Kristoff's breath began to steady against her ear. Hands still holding dearly on her hips as he felt her chest rise and fall against his.

"Just close your eyes/ The sun is going down—"

She was an angel disguised as human, he swore. Her voice sent chills run up and down his spine, the little hairs on his neck stick up and made goose bumps pop out of his skin.

"You'll be alright/ No one can hurt you now—"

He finally nuzzled his face into her skin, making her whimper a bit.

"Come morning light/ You and I'll be safe and sound…"

She stopped.

"K-Kristoff…" she whimpered. His eyes shot open once he realized he's squeezing the life out of her, tears stinging the back of his eyes as he broke away in their stupor.

"Oh g-god I'm sorry I didn't mean to are you oka—"

"I'm fine," she responded without waver.

The images of his bad dream came back—Anna packing her bags and leaving. Simple. Yet complex at the same time. Just a housemate, workmate, and – a friend? Yet her very existence started to mean so much to him. Endless questions haunted him flooded his mind once more. What if she leaves? What if she forgets him? What if she becomes so popular she wouldn't even be able to recognize him? What if one day he just wakes up and she's… gone?

But it seemed like she read right through him.

"I'm here, Kristoff. I'm here."

Fears pushed aside, he knew that all these little things – moments that he still had her, he knew he had to cherish it. Even if they were milliseconds in infinity, what matters what is what's now. _She's_ all that matters now.

"I know," he said, and she wrapped her arms around his neck again.

Basking in her warmth, Kristoff wrapped his arms around her petite waist without shame. Blinked back tears, cherished her sweet smelling hair as he dug his face into the crook of her neck. For the first time ine forever, he's clinging dearly into another person. Whom he first believed is a menace, nothing but trouble. But getting wrapped up in her world showed him so much, convinced him that maybe, just maybe, having interactions with another person isn't so bad after all.

They sat there in silence, treasuring such a moment beneath a roof with the storm looming over. It was nearly impossible for him to fall asleep now.

"You know," Anna squeaked when Kristoff's fingertips brushed her waist. "Your hair reminds me a lot of… hay."

His eyebrows raised, still holding onto her. "Hay?"

"Yeah. Gold. Hay," she repeated as she toyed with his blonde locks. Curling it with her finger, lazily playing as her cheek rested on top of his shoulder. "When I ran away from home I couldn't afford to sleep anywhere. Not even cheap inns. So I sneaked into barns and slept there until morning. Well, until I get kicked out by the farmers."

His heart chipped a little in her confession, but kept silent as he listened.

The side of her lips quirked up, eyebrows coming together after a long pause in conclusion. "I guess blondes save me, in one way or another."

"It's okay," he pulled away, face so close he had to fight back every ounce of need to kiss her, right here, right now. He never was good with words, but those two words were enough for her. "You're here now. It's okay."

"I know."

"Good. Now get some sleep. North's gonna lose his shit if we're late."

She laughed as she fell back on the backrest of the couch, he followed. Still facing each other, Kristoff raised an eyebrow.

"You're not going back to your room?"

"Mmff," she whined as she nuzzled up his chest, arms flung loosely around his waist as she did so. "_Your_ room actually. And no. Dark. Scary. Lonely. Don't want to."

Such a child. Her quirks Kristoff had learned weeks ago informed him on how to put up with such a petty child. Still, Anna is always filled with fun new surprises. Surprises are nice. Good. She's good. Warm. Simply, she was Anna.

Kristoff finally broke away from his gushing embarrassment as he wrapped one arm around her shoulder and tilted to rest his cheek atop her head.

"Then go get a blanket, dummy."

"But you're warmer," ultimately, that line was enough for Kristoff to burst into eternal fuzzy bunnies running around his chest and butterflies buzzing inside his stomach made him completely weak. He shuddered as he spoke, eyelids heavy as the sound of her very breath reassured him that she isn't going anywhere. Not for now.

"Fine."

* * *

**song: safe and sound by taylor swift**

**heheh i love fluff ;w; ps, we're nearing to anna's fame. ps, i'd like to say thank you to everyone who supports this story. really. it means so much. it keeps me going! thank you for the fave, follow, and the lovely reviews!**

**also, no worries. this story will follow the canon ships of all the characters (side&main)**

**don't forget to review this one too, it means so much~**


	7. Chapter 7: Burdens

Kristoff made the pancake in the frying pan do a somersault in one hand, the other pouring dried plum juice into a wineglass without turning away from the stove and doing everything almost by instinct. Like a one man act. Sven was undeniably jumpy on his leg, slobbering his tongue just begging for a taste of his master's work.

Kristoff smirked. "Nope. No pancakes for you."

Hearing Sven make a cry of protest brought a smile to his lips. He crouched down and scratched behind fuzzy ears before sending him off. "Go find Anna. I'm sure she has some treats for you."

Upon hearing Anna's very name, the little mutt violently wagged his tail and happily trotted out the kitchen. Kristoff watched him go with the smile lingering over his lips. After all, who couldn't smile just by Anna's name?

Turning back to the stove, he turned the burner higher, roaring as he flipped the pancake once more. He felt his shoulders weighing down a little, the thought of visitors made him uneasy. It's been a long time since someone announced they'd pay him a visit, and not just anyone, his workmates—friends?

_Hiccup, Jack and Flynn._

Which he entitled as the world's biggest troublemakers.

"Sven!" the echoed giggling along the halls almost made Kristoff flip the pancake off the frying pan. Gritting his teeth, he looked over his shoulder once more. Anna emerged from the door with Sven wringing along her arms.

"It's 5:04," she announced vigilantly, petting Sven on his snout that kind of made her look like a mafia boss without the huge revolving chair behind her. "They're going to get here eventually… you okay?"

Kristoff cringed in her questioning manner, shrugging as he collected himself. "I don't know. It's been a while since I've had company, you know."

"You'll be fine!" she chirped, Sven wiggling in her wringing arms. "They're your friends! It's okay to be your ol' natural sweetie self in front of them. You see them everyday. And what do you mean you don't have company? You've got me."

_Bloody hell._

Did she just call him a sweetie? And that she said he's got her that absolutely made him use every ounce of self-control not to propel himself into the stars and scream for the rest of eternity that he's a man and that snarky comments from a sassy ginger is supposed to be nothing and shouldn't affect his supposed to be raw and rogue heart? Yeah. That's right. He is a _man_. A manly man that deflates into jelly when this feisty ginger throws daggers of comments at him.

He forced out a cackle that strangled into a choke.

"One is a dork, a librarian that doesn't know how to read novels and I'm guessing he only took the job because he said he likes to flirt with this dentist that hangs around the library and the other is a kleptomaniac slash narcissistic self-proclaimed king of Germany of which I have no idea why your cousin even dates."

"She said he has this vibe that follows him behind, and that Flynn can actually be sweet sometimes, you know."

"Yeah," he rolled his eyes again. His chest felt heavy as they chattered, burdened by something he knew he should have told her since yesterday. So he kept the stoic expression on his face and gave another attempt to brush her off. "The stench of booze follows him and he's sweet as sugar when he gets wasted."

Anna's face fell. "Rapunzel won't like it if you tell her that. After all, she actually likes you."

His eyebrows were once again raised. "I'm pretty sure she does if she let you stay with someone like me."

Anna gurgled a laughter, Sven sniffing at her chin. "Hey don't degrade yourself down like that! Anyway, I'll go check if we still got drinks. And don't hold back later, okay? Let loose a little, Kris! It's only once in a while you get visitors. I'll keep Sven company in your room. Don't mind me," she called out before slipping out of the kitchen. Her head popped out the door again in reminder. "And oh, I'm sure Flynn might bring beer. Don't get too wasted, okay? I have no idea how to take care of a big baby boo like you."

He scoffed, trying to hide the color that set fire to his cheeks that he wished came from the steam of the pan as he looked away. He could only wish he could bring himself to confess.

"Yeah, whatever."

Yeah, he'll tell her. Eventually.

* * *

Kristoff doesn't really remember how exactly shit went down, but his head pounded harder as he tried to recall the most vivid memory his wasted mind could grasp.

Aha, Hiccup came exactly around 5:30. Went through his stacks of books on his shelves and he told the nerd that Anna was taking a nap in his room (but she's really just flipping through comic books he bought for her the other day) and hoped the freckled man wouldn't peek through his bedroom doors. Jack and Flynn came two hours late right after Hiccup and Kristoff had just finished another episode of the new season of The Walking Dead. They shot the two troublemakers angry glares, evident of the boredom they had bought on them. But it didn't seem to bother them. It then came down when they started playing Cards Against Humanity, Flynn beside him and he knew it was risky getting his ears bleeding because every time someone would make a bad mama joke he would burst out laughing right into his eardrum. He tried to hold down his fist that kept shaking as he tried not to shove it down Flynn's throat to end his own suffering.

Eventually, after singing along to Nirvana, finished a challenge of watching The Notebook without crying (of which Hiccup lost), Flynn did bring beer. Everything went down hill with a blur after Jack poured him his share of beer.

"More, Kris! More!" Jack laughed heartily, clearly having an overdose of alcohol. His mind doesn't reboot in his words but his body does, holding out his cup for another. Flynn sat beside him, heavily reeking of booze that startled him once he slammed his cup on his coffee table.

"This beer…" hiccups, "I like it. ANOTHER!" He slammed his cup again and Kristoff swore he heard the most audible crack creak beneath his beloved cup's bottom. Flynn was using Mama Bulda's favorite mug when she visits… but he was too wasted to care.

Hiccup's head was between his legs, already sleeping soundly since it's the poor boy's first time to ever drink out away from his senator father's hands. Kristoff isn't so sure to be happy that he dragged his friend out of his comfort zone, but it sure seemed like Hiccup had a great time earlier to the extent that he drank from the beer bottle, screamed that he loved some girl named Astrid, and passed out on his lap.

He forced one eye open to glance up his wall clock, Jack and Flynn starting a Pitch Perfect duet.

_11:57_

He knew he'd get nagged by Anna first thing in the morning.

* * *

Anna pressed her ears to the door, biting her lower lip in the process as she tried to get a better hold of the situation in the next room. It was hard to hear what they were talking about and what they were doing from Kristoff's room, also because it started raining pretty hard outside. The news didn't mention anything like this, it seemed a lot harder than the last storm since she hugged Kristoff to make him feel better from his nightmare—

She blushed as she remembers.

Sven wiggled in her arms when she grew stiff as a board. Seeing her cheeks color, the mongrel licked her fluffy cheeks that made her snap back to reality. Head jerking towards Sven on her lap as she was crouched down, she smiled at him.

"It's okay. I just need to know what your pungent master is up to," her reassurance is given a reply of a whimper that made her giggle and reward Sven a quick peck on the nose. She pressed her ears against mahogany once more.

"_So_," she heard Flynn drawl out in his wasted state over the next room. "_How's freckle face doing?"_

She froze.

Swallowing hard, she heard Kristoff retort. "_Anna."_

_"Yeah, her. Whatever."_

_"She's good. Great actually. I think anytime soon she'd be off to Hollywood or something…"_

Anna felt color spread over her cheeks as she sat rooted to the floor by the door, finding it rather _sweet_ that Kristoff was complimenting her even behind her back. He's complimenting her… right?

_"That's a bummer. Too bad your girlfriend is going to leave you eventually, huh?"_

She guessed that he blushed, too.

"_G-girlfriend_?" he stammered into a slur. "_N-no… we're nothing like that. She's just a… friend."_

"_Well that sucks_," Flynn mumbled with a cup of beer between his lips. "_You give her a place to stay, food, clothing, shelter and what do you get? Nothing! Nothing but the burden of keeping another human alive in your house…"_

Anna's heart sank when his friend spat the word _burden_.

"I'm… I'm a _burden_?" she mouthed to herself, eyes growing wide. How could she be such an inconsiderate fool? She was so blind she only thought of her own feelings, wants, endless chocolate Kristoff showered her, a bouncy bed that forced Kristoff to sleep in the couch, her own dreams without even thinking of his _own_ dreams in life. Wretched thoughts flooded her mind.

It's all clear to her now.

Slowly, she dragged a trembling hand over her mouth, the other clutching dearly to her stomach that was now quenching in sickening pain.

She felt sick.

Disgusted sick of herself. She gagged on her own words, feeling tears stinging the back of her eyes as a heavy weight strained his chest and made her stomach flip entirely. She had to keep her hand pressed to her mouth to prevent spilling out the chicken nuggets she had for dinner earlier.

_"She's no burden_," she would've felt better in Kristoff's remark, but felt worse with what came next. "_Well, yeah, sure, the bill did double ever since she came and the dryer has gone haywire when she used it one time, and when she bathed Sven with horse shampoo by accident when she went grocery shopping half of his hair fell off and that he was almost practically bald and—"_

She couldn't bear it.

Finally, she tore away from the door as she couldn't withstand the daggers that shot straight into her heart. She made her mind. She dragged her feet across the ill lit room, as if a zombie routinely going through a grave with a glum face. Yanking drawers open, she stuffed everything in a duffle bag she marked as her own. Clothes—that's all she even had. She didn't deserve the food, his sympathy, and not even the very fluffy snowman plushie he bought her the other day.

Tucking Olaf the Snowman that she named after her loving cousin in Kristoff's bed, she smiled as if talking to him person herself.

"I guess this is better… huh?" she shrugged towards it, the buckteeth of the snowman sticking out of proportion. She knew if he was here himself, he'd make her stay with the burly man. But she couldn't afford that to happen. No, she couldn't.

Stretching out to the bed stand, she ripped a piece of paper from a random notebook sprawled around the top. Scribbling with trembling fingers she finished her apology letter no less than a minute to waste. She slipped it between Olaf's fingers for a stick before slinging the duffle bag over her shoulders and strapping her guitar tight against her body.

The window's latch by the bed clicked open with the flick of her fingers, the stormy winds greeting her with a slap in the face. Bullets of raindrops pouring all over. She winced in the familiarity of it all, just like when they first met. Nostalgia in the air. And just before she slipped out, she caught his friend's words in an almost mumble.

_"Maybe you're better off without her Kristoff."_

Her heart was torn from her chest, now standing by the window, ready to jump and take the leap of fate. Not get attached to a mere stranger she had bumped into on the streets. She broke the chains that dwelled heavy on his wrists that was herself, a burden. She set him free. The brewing storm shot thunder and lightning from the sky, illuminating the sadness in her eyes before she looked back over to Sven that barked at her in protest for her to stay.

Anna smiled sadly at him, as if talking to Kristoff himself.

"Maybe you are, Kristoff. Maybe you are."

* * *

**dang it, anna. why do you always run away. well, here, i made anna someone who feels guilty over something easily. bc of her _past_ and stuff (with elsa). ****kristoff also seems to have secrets of his own, huh? **also, drama in the next chapter. "drama". AND! elsa will finally be revealed in the next chap ;) 

**reviews are greatly loved~**


	8. Chapter 8: The Runaway

It was around four in the afternoon when Flynn's snores became too much for Kristoff's ears to bear. His eyelids felt like they were being weighed down that he needed to force them open to ponder over whatever was happening around him now. The cacophony of Flynn's absurd snores rung into Kristoff's head, causing an incoming migraine pound behind thick skull making him groan as he forced to move his weighty body from being sprawled into a sitting position.

He blinked the sleep away from his eyes, sight a blur until everything slowly came into focus.

Jack was flopped on the carpet, snuggling into his mother's favorite tooth like cushion he usually hung around next to the books on his shelf. Flynn, on the other hand, was leaning into him (and still was roaring with snores), using his broad shoulders as a pillow that seemed to serve its purpose for him.

Kristoff realized that his apartment room was rather _tidier_ than he remembered he left off in his sleep last night. And that Hiccup was swept away with the spick and span room, not a strand of his hair in the room was left at all.

Taking notice that the pancakes they chose to abstain last night was still left in its plate, he seized one floppy pancake in his hand and shoved it up Flynn's mouth. He emitted gurgles and chokes, still left in a trance of sleep that bewildered Kristoff how on earth it was possible for the kleptomaniac stay asleep.

Getting up on wobbling knees and unstable footing, he managed to drag himself out the couch and walk over to the kitchen, following the strong aroma of—

"Pancakes?" Hiccup called out looking over his shoulder once he heard Kristoff's blundering footsteps enter the kitchen room. He wore Mama Bulda's flowered pink apron with weaved words that said "Best Mum Ever" while flipping pancakes by the stove. Long bangs clipped to his head that made Kristoff easily map the freckles that spread up to the brunette's head, nerd glasses hanging on the tip of his nose.

He would've burst out laughing if alcohol didn't cloud his dead brain. But he knew he would once he was sober.

"For a second I thought you were Anna," he sighed in relief, thick fingers brushing over his face to his temples rubbing to soothe the throbbing. The stale taste of beer still lingered in his mouth and made him wish he could immediately stuff the creamy pancakes in his mouth once they were done.

Hiccup squinted at him, half incredulous half pondering. "Well, now that you mention it, Anna hasn't come out of your room the whole day…"

His eyebrows raised. "Really? How would you know? How long have I been—"

"Whole day, Kristoff," Hiccup shook his head, pushing the glasses up the bridge of his freckled-sprinkled nose. Kristoff's heart drummed with the unfamiliarity of worry. "I woke around 9am earlier, cleaned around since I know how much Oaken hates you, Oaken knocked around 12 and I managed to talk him out the joint. Sven's been real jumpy all day and I realized Anna hasn't come out at all so I made her grilled cheese and left it at the doorstep and she still hasn't come out to eat it," he glanced down his wristwatch. "It's 4 in the afternoon now."

"What?" the blonde's lips mouth, head processing the brunette's words before bolting out the room, staggering as he went. His hands grasped the walls for support trying to prevent his weak knees to collapse on him.

Reaching his bedroom door, he kicked the plate that lay on its doorstep and broke into the room.

Sven was emitting sad whimpers on top of his bed, Anna's snowman plushie between his greasy paws. Anna no where to be found.

Kristoff smiled. "Hey, boy," he greeted as he reached to nuzzle behind the mutt's ear, only for Sven to pull away reluctantly. Noticing the lonesome atmosphere, he cocked an incredulous eyebrow. "Hey, what's wrong? And where's Anna?"

He felt something prick beneath his calloused hand when he sat next to Sven on the bed. He took notice of the mongrel's sudden jumpy attitude, pressing his wet nose to where he felt something prick his hand. His eyes widened.

He promptly scrambled to open his palm, seeing a crumpled piece of paper that evoked him of the memories the night he lost—Anna. His heart sank.

Without a second thought, he bolted out of the room. He could hear the pelting rain above the roof, Hiccup and Sven making cries that his mind was too preoccupied to hear what was about, making him screech something back at the brunette to take care of everything else and feeling the fear creeping up his spine as he knew exactly what had happened that night.

Sven, on the other hand, stayed rooted at his spot on the bed guarding Olaf with his life and saw the piece of paper fall to the ground like a dancing snowflake. Written with trembled curved handwriting, it wrote: _I'm sorry._

And Kristoff knows she is. Like the night she had gone.

And he aches, because he remembers.

* * *

Kristoff adamantly pressed through the storm, the winds stirring and nearly sweeping him off his feet. Dusk had already fallen upon the city of New York, still life buzzed colors that illuminated the night sky even in the depths of the rain. The blonde tried his best to pass by every single passerby without elbowing or bumping into each jostling individual. He did bump into some old man that nagged at him, a prickly blonde he doubted that was a model that shot him a death glare, but he was too caught up in the thought of finding—_Anna_.

She's all that matters now.

He finds himself lost in the darker streets of New York, wide and open for him to run along into. A gust of wind came whooping down from the heavens, giving him a mild smack in the face that he had to squint his eyes through the battering rain that seized the night. The raindrops poured down hard like bullets against his rough skin, pelting like tiny hail cubes sent by a mad god from the heavens for dramatic effect for an incoming war.

His sneakers were kind of helping, screeching against the muddy streets as its rubber soles helped him stay balanced on ground. His breathing came short, legs starting to feel sore for he's been running across New York for the last two—three hours? He's lost track. He could feel the veins in his legs throb, the underside of his foot prick beneath his shoes, his body slowly starting to weigh him down and still, he found the profaned energy to press on.

Nearly tumbling down a slope, he finds himself lost around some random park. He remembers taking Anna here, about two weeks ago, a wild guess he takes. He takes her around, Sven secured onto a leash he took hold, Anna giddily pointed at ducklings by the bay. He remembers everything.

The faintest sound of sobbing hits his senses. A whitewash of lightning strikes nearby and the second he turns, he sees her on the street behind a vending machine, hands on her face, knees trembling, sobs echoing.

Anna.

He freezes on the spot.

He stays there, watching her. Dumbfounded. Mouth agape, still trying to catch his breath. Like she's some kind of art painted in the most gregarious way, and he, a mere spectator, tries to break down what caused nature to paint her hair into the color of crisp autumn, why her teal eyes shifted to blue and a mixture of green in the deepest colors possible when she stares deep into his, why her petite body fit so perfectly with his stocky one, and—he loses words and thoughts to think of. All he knows is that, she's Anna.

He knows she feels his presence when she looks up, she gasps.

The moment she tore her tear-stained face away from her dainty hands, his heart fell. She was crying. He knew she was crying, he heard her. But there was something in the burning of her cheeks that made him feel different, the freckles that rose beneath her eyes when she gasped, and the way he swore he could differentiate her salty tears from the unforgiving raindrops that painted her face.

He found her beautiful, still.

"K-Kristoff?" he hears her choke on his name, and like the canals he ran into earlier, it fills him with anger. Anger that he sees her lips instantly move to say sorry and he drops to his knees to stop her. "I'm, I'm s-so—"

"You're a troublesome case to crack, you know that?!" he snaps, losing himself in both relief and morose anger. The vague feeling of tears stings behind his eyes, but he convinces himself it's nothing more than a stray raindrop hitting him right in the eye. "One second, we're laughing about something stupid like Sven chasing after his tail and making witty comebacks at each other and then the next you're just, just—_gone_," he waves his hand all around, though he was never the gesture type of person. But something inside of him snaps, a pang that the sight of Anna sends him tumbling over a hill with a bucket on his head.

"Why, Anna? Isn't golden brown pancakes every morning enough for you? A stable job? A boss who cares? Sven who's waiting for you to come the fuck back home?" he could ramble all night long, state every reason why he's right just as his breathing intensifies and he stops abruptly to see the fear that swept Anna's face. He musters the courage to drawl out the words, eyes softening as he says—"Am _I_ not enough, Anna? Am I not good enough?"

He exhaled each every exhilarated word, though he knew he never is enough. Fifth grade, failed his math exam and got the spanking he deserved from his foghorn mouthed father. Got punished by his coach when a missed slap shot during the year's biggest hockey tournament yet. Turned down by his first love in 9th grade over some jerk-faced jock simply because he's _not good enough._

He never is.

But when fate gave his life a twist of bumping into Anna, hope sparked in his heart that flicked and swished in every way when she did the simplest things with him. Clean leftovers, help him shave 5 o'clock shadows every morning, walking Sven on Sundays and just—staying with him. Safe. Was that too much to ask?

He sees the fear washed off her face, replaced with sincerity and sympathy. The drumming of her heart thunders in his ears, she's so close he could hear it pound in his head. Her teeth wedged between puffy red lips, she seizes both hands to cup his face in attempt to calm the storm in him that had gone ballistic. Her touch sends electric surge across his body, but he stills, and for a millisecond, he closes his eyes to savor her touch, thinking that, its all an illusion of the hopeless heart of his. He pitied himself.

His eyes snap open. "No, Kristoff. You're wrong," her face is inches away from him, breathy and close enough as they breathe the same air that made his heart do a somersault. "You're worth it. You are. And it's not you, it's me," she says cautiously, hands sliding up his face for a better grasp. She says it so easily, predictable, like in some cliché' chick-flick movie they've watched weeks ago.

Anna tries to interject with him, but he pressed on.

"_You_?" he repeats, incredulously. Mad to bombard her with questions why she made him worry so much. "I've been looking _everywhere_ for you, passed the bakery, your favorite chocolate shop, the toy shop we bought Olaf in, and I left the apartment to Flynn and the others we need to get back. Sven's waiting, everyone is," he tried to soften his voice, holding back the heavy feeling in his chest. Too tired to snap her a lecture in the middle of the dark park, thinking of giving it to her nice and full in the morning. He tries to seize her hand in his, but she reluctantly pulls away.

"No," she croaks, voice still hoarse. Again, his heart sinks while his eyebrows cocks up questioningly.

"_What_?" he shoots, harsher than he intended to. He sees her cringe, but builds up the courage to repeat her self.

"No, Kristoff," she says firmly. Tears on hold. "This… this is where I belong."

"On the streets?!" wide eyes as saucers, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Anna? Living on the streets? He couldn't even think that she'd survive on her own on the first night without TV. "Anna, don't be ridiculous. You couldn't even sleep without a plush cushion beneath your head."

She's calm, collecting herself as her breath ghosts over his face. "Kristoff, I have nothing here. At home I may be given special treatment like I'm crippled but here, it's every man for himself. Er, woman. I… I need to live in my own, Kristoff. I'm not supposed to be tied with anyone, and I'm sorry I ever did."

Her sniffing made him doubt it would stifle into tears once more that worried him she'd burst out crying all over again.

It simply broke his heart to watch the crestfallen girl's face twist in grimace and strangle in pain, so he pulls her into his arms, knees grimy with mud, the vending machine's dwindling light serving as their only source of heat, and the rain continued to pelt on them and he heard the most audible crack of thunder from a distance. He waits for her to snap. She does.

She deflates in his arms, breaking down as her salty tears mixes with the seasoned raindrops. Muttering sorry over and over again, she barely catches her breath between gasps. And when she does, she mumbles, "I just want to stop being a burden."

He pulls away when she confessed. "What?"

"I want to stop being a burden," she repeats, clearer now.

Silence lingers between them before he breaks it off.

"Did you hear that from Flynn yesterday?"

She nods.

"Anna," he sings her name on his lips, like a serenade he'd never get to sing to her in the most adorning way. "You're not a burden. We were wasted last night, alright? And if we are being completely honest with each other now… _I'm_ the one who's being a burden to you. And your dreams," he finds the courage to say his words, but Anna's flabbergasted stare made it hard to follow up what he had to say next. He averts his eyes to the ground. "Some shriveled up woman came by the shop two days ago. She was taken back by your performance, to say the least. And I knew that she was some kind of talent agent, and she was hooked by _you_. But she couldn't stay before you finished so… she gave me her calling card. And I know I should've given it to you straight away because I know it's you big break, and I'm sorry I didn't."

"Why didn't you?" her voice is tentative, and fear taps at his shoulder the moment he feels her eyes bore into him with curiosity. The rain had washed her tears away. She didn't even need him to. His nightmare is coming true, haunting him.

"I…" he starts, but the words don't come out. He could make up some pathetic excuse that he forgot, or he lost the calling card but he doesn't. He builds the courage and spills the words. "I don't know."

And it's true. He wanted to babble cheesy words like _I don't want to lose you, I'm not used to change, I don't want you to go_—but he knew it would be inappropriate. He feared she would run away in disgust, a low life 21 year old keeping a lively 18 cooped up in a shaggy apartment away from what the world had to give, something she would be better off more than him. He chokes.

"Because I'm human," he admits, finally locking his eyes with hers. He sees worry mixed with her forget-me-not eyes, looking at him through long lashes. He tries to blurt what he can, though he was never good with words. "I feel human when I'm with you, Anna. I'm supposed to be a loner. I've worked for North for the past year without talking to anyone without a bark, even at the construction site. I've only had Sven but now, I've got Hiccup breathing on my neck, Flynn annoying the hell out of me, Jack's growing bills and I don't care because I've got…"

"Me," she seizes one hand to graze his face, it sends a bolt of electricity spark his body before she pulls him in for another hug. "You've got me."

_You've got me._

The words echoes in his head. He has her, but for how long? She's a star and he could only wish she was his.

He wraps his strong arms around her waist and clings, their hearts beating in synch mixed with both anxieties and content. Her hair was a mix of fresh dirt and her usual shampoo, serving as the drug he needed to fall deeper into her arms. She still trembles agaisnt him, unlikely, as he presses himself harder agaisnt her in attempts to warm her fragile soul. He exhales breathily into her ear once he catches his breath. "Please come back home."

The blush on his cheeks spread like wild fire once she replies without haste. "I will. Wait, no. I'm already home, Kristoff. Here. With you," he trembles in her touch. Such cheesy words made his stomach flip. "Thank you."

Kristoff pulls away. "And don't you dare run away again. You _promised_."

Anna grins cheekily. "I did, didn't I? S-Sorry."

"I swear you'll be the death of me," he grumbled playfully as he got up, practically pulling the ginger up to her feet with him. She staggers but finds her footing. "Easy, tiger!"

"I'm okay!" she chirps, holding her hands out. "I kind of tripped earlier and scrapped my knee. It's nothing serious but…"

He stares at her again with brown eyes turning charcoal in twilight. "Is that why you've been crying around here?"

"Well, um, yes?" she murmured between blushing cheeks, hoisting her damp bag over her shoulder with her guitar.

Kristoff blew up in laughter, snatching her load of items and hoisting it on his own back, before picking Anna up effortlessly, bridal style. Still laughing as the ginger kicked and flailed like a fish in shallow water.

"Hey! Put me down!"

"No can do, princess," he laughed, still shaking his head as he started to make their trek back home. "The scrape must be serious if you're crying over a petty injury. You might slip on some puddles and make it worse. Also, we've got a doctor-to-be back home, he'll know what to do."

Anna had helplessly kicked her legs, flailed her hands and hit Kristoff in the eye more than once in protest to be set back on the ground, only to deflate in his arms once she saw the determination he had to bring her back to safety. He knew her so well, she was sort of touched.

She wrung her arms around his neck when she gave in, staring up at him with adulation like she was worshiping him of his strength as he carried her that made Kristoff feel the blush creep up his neck, wishing the dark would hide his embarrassment. He had the most vivid urge to stop on his tracks, pucker his lips, and finally lean in to give her what he had always dreamed of. He wanted to—

"Wait!" Anna called, immediately making him dig his heels to stop.

"W-What?" he snaps out of his daydreaming. She was pointing at an electronic shop, lined with flashing new brands of television at its window, showing random shows, news all at the same time. He walked closer for a better look.

Kristoff's eyes flicked from one monitor to the other, one showing the latest news, the other a new hit reality show he heard of from Flynn and the others, and the other, a music awards. He wasn't quite sure.

Eyes darting back to Anna, he saw her look solemn and eyes twinkling bore deep into the television, the one with that showed some grand music awards. He looked back at it, too.

There was a woman with immaculate frosted hair tied in a haphazard side braid in an extravagant teal dress, lips magenta bearing her white pearls whenever she hit high notes, he actually remembers her from the television at North's shop, announcing her as something like the Queen of Music, as to speak. Millions of thoughts flood him, is she Anna's idol? Rival? Inspiration? And her eyes, her eyes were so much like Anna's, striking and beautiful… It hit him like a bullet the moment he turned to catch Anna mumbling to herself even under the sound of the swaying rain. His eyes widened.

"_That's_ my sister."

* * *

**whoa this one is pretty long. sorry for the delay guys, i got sick last week and it was pretty bad. :(**

**anywho, things are getting better now :) you can send me songs you'd like to see anna/elsa/kristoff/etc sing in future chapters, i will consider them when i check them out :)**

**i hope you enjoyed this chapter! a review is most appreciated~**


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